Words of caution for East Nottingham Township

07/10/2013 09:06AM
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By ACL

Letter to the Editor:

As a two-year or three-year subscriber to the Chester County Press and a regular reader of the opinion page, I can't help but notice an escalation of emotions taking place in East Nottingham Township. Especially evident are the personal attacks on several of the township supervisors.

Now, in fairness to all, I don't live in East Nottingham Township, but I do keep current on what's happening in southern Chester County.

When these opinion pieces started, they were reasonable expressions of a citizen who disagreed with the way some township business was being conducted. Fair enough, that is how our system works. At first it was interesting local politics. But over the past year or so, I, as an outside observer, have noticed a troubling trend.

It seems that Rick Orner, has taken it on as his personal mission to expose what in his mind are misdeeds by the township's board of supervisors. Could it also be true that two of his friends lost their township supervisor seats in a legal and open election to the people he is constantly attacking? And could it also be true that what the readers of this newspaper are seeing is a serious case of sour grapes, and an increasing trend towards vindictiveness and anger?

If one were to follow the articles over the last year or so, they would clearly see an escalation of the size and scope of what is not local politics, but personal attacks against particular people.

Mr. Omer has the right, guaranteed by the first Amendment, to express his opinion. He has the right to take out half-page and full-page attack-ads in this newspaper. But if someone took the time to read the whole piece twice, like I did, I would start to worry about the type of person who has so much ill will towards a neighbor that he would go to such lengths to try and embarrass them so.

I hope the members of this ENTCOHG group are taking a close look at who they are following. We as a society are constantly warned to look for trends, connect the dots, be aware of signs of anger and discontent. Anyone who has been following these writings over the past two years can see how this could and should be a cause for concern. if Mr. Omer and his band don't like the way the township is run, then when the next election comes around, get elected. Go out, walk the township, meet the people and make your case. That is what the current supervisors did.

I would ask the ENTCOHG group how their wives, husbands, children and grandchildren would feel if they saw these types of mean-spirited attacks directed at them?

One glaring thing does stand out in this sorted affair though. It is how the targets of Mr. Omer's attacks have continued to do what they were elected to do, with grace and professionalism.